con·ten·tion / kənˈtenchən/ • n. 1. heated disagreement: the captured territory was one of the main areas of contention between the two countries.2. an assertion, esp. one maintained in argument: statistics bear out his contention that many runners are undertrained for this event.PHRASES: in contention having a good chance of success in a contest.

contention A situation in which several independent activities simultaneously seek access to the same resource, as when several independent transmitters wish to send data across a single communication channel. Where contention may arise, it is necessary to provide some form of arbitration to determine which activity gains access to the resource.